She Thought She Saw Her Mother Drowning in Ceuta, Sahra No Longer Lets Her Sleep
Sahra is only 5 years old. Since the crossing to Ceuta, she has kept her mother from sleeping: whenever Assia closes her eyes, her daughter asks her to open them again, convinced that she could die after believing she was drowning.
Assia Ezzaouaq, 33, was among the thousands of people who left Morocco during the exceptional influx on 30 and 31 July. Within a few hours, some 72,000 people, mostly Moroccan according to Spain’s Interior Ministry, reached Ceuta, many by attempting to cross the border by swimming.
On Bladi.net : Ceuta Border: Moroccan Youths Lured by Spain Visa Hopes Face Hunger
For Sahra, the crossing did not end once she reached the Spanish shore. “No, Mommy, I don’t want you to die. Open your eyes, Mommy, stay with me,” her mother told Le Monde.
The overwhelming majority of those who entered the enclave quickly left again. By 31 July, around 70,000 had returned to Morocco, according to Madrid. Those who remained had to cope with a lack of accommodation, hunger and nights spent outdoors.
Hundreds of young people still living on the streets
The situation is particularly difficult for minors. Hundreds of very young migrants have found themselves on the streets of Ceuta while reception facilities are overcrowded. The president of the autonomous city, Juan Jesus Vivas, said that occupancy at centers for minors had reached “2,600% above their critical capacity.”
Some young people found shelter in an industrial area near the border. Others go to the Sidi-Embarek Muslim cemetery so they can wash. On 5 August, an unaccompanied Moroccan minor was still sleeping there.
In working-class neighborhoods, residents are trying to make up for the shortages. In Principe, Ahmed Atché opened his home to thirteen young migrants, including two 17-year-old girls, originally from Casablanca, Tétouan and Tangier, among other places. Families in the neighborhood also distributed blankets, clothing and toys to those who remained outside.
Many of these young people say they set off after seeing the same rumor circulating on TikTok and Instagram: “the border was open.” Once in Ceuta, some discovered a paralyzed city, closed businesses and no solution for continuing their journey toward Europe.
On Bladi.net : Surge in Unaccompanied Minors Challenges Ceuta’s Immigration System
For Sahra, Europe was chiefly reduced to a few minutes in the water and the fear of losing her mother. Several days after the crossing, that fear returns every time Assia closes her eyes.
